Increasingly, we want to know that the places we stay are not just doing no harm, they’re actively doing good: for their natural environment, for wildlife conservation, for staff and local communities. One of the leaders in this field is New Zealand’s magical Te Waonui Forest Retreat, which guests visit on Luxury Gold’s 19-day The Long White Cloud journey.

Designed with sustainability in mind from top to bottom, it’s visitors’ first stay after their entry point of Christchurch; tucked away on the west coast of the country’s South Island, it’s an exclusive and atmospheric base for visiting the Franz Josef Glacier.

To find out more about how this five-star hotel manages to seamlessly combine luxury with sustainability, we spoke with Richard Hayman, one of the architects that originally worked on the forest retreat. 

Green at Heart

Shrouded in dense, unspoiled green forest with snow-capped peaks visible just above, you’ll enjoy a private balcony and terrace here – perfectly for listening to the call of native songbirds. New Zealand, it goes without saying, is a world leader in sustainable tourism; but even on a scene this dense with innovative retreats, this hotel stands out.

“I remember day one when we first found the site, walking through the native bush and seeing these fantastic trees which have never been felled,” says Richard. “I thought, wow, building in this space is a real privilege. So we tried to keep as much of that bush atmosphere as we could.”

Sustainable and stylish

Te Waonui Forest Retreat was designed as “passively” as possible, he explains; that is, every attempt was made to make it low-emission and energy efficient for its entire lifetime. This involves using low-carbon, easily available timber, overhanging and slats keeping heat from the sun out of the building without the need for air-conditioning. “We tried to have very high insulation levels, no energy heat pumps, lots of overshadowing in terms of the building design keeping the sun out,” says Richard. “We were very careful about sourcing non-rainforest hardwoods and timber.”

Inside the building, LED lighting and use of natural light keep things energy-efficient, cleaning is chemical-free and recycling policies are stringent throughout the property. Furniture and fittings make use of local materials, such as New Zealand natural wool carpets, organic cotton and even possum-skin cushioning. Sensor lights automatically shut off when no one’s in the room, while water is saved via flow restrictors in showers. All staff are highly trained in sustainable methods of catering, cleaning and service.

A Truly Luxurious Forest Retreat

That’s not to say you’ll feel like you’re doing a PhD in sustainability; this is a luxe holiday hideaway at heart. As well as those birdsong-filled balconies, there’s a fine dining restaurant open to views of the virgin forest and peaks outside; rooms have luxury bedding and designer furnishings. And there’s plenty of local character: “Look out for Kiwi touches in terms of art and materials,” says Hayman. “The drapes are inspired by our native alpine parrot bird, the Kea ‒ the underside of its wing has bright oranges and reds against a khaki feather. The bar is inspired by coal and by glow worms.”

One of his favourite features are the ethically-sourced bamboo keycards, which can also be used as luggage tags. Clean and green power is also hugely important. “In New Zealand we are lucky enough to have some very clean and green electricity; ours is hydro-, wind- and solar-generated power from our provider Meridian. Where we do have to use natural gas, we’re looking at ways to reduce that or increase efficiency,” says Hayman. And projects are constantly reviewed, and ongoing. One recent movement saw 375 punga ferns planted around the property to restore parts of the native forest.

Incredible Nature on Your Doorstep

This area of New Zealand is special, say the team. It’s wild, it’s irrepressible, and guests are given the privilege of interacting with it all, close up. “Te Waonui Forest Retreat is a great place to remind you of how elemental nature is,” says Hayman. “Our guests can get involved in that to a greater or lesser extent depending on how adventurous they are. Bush walks, kayaking on the lagoon, spotting white herons, climbing, even helicopter flights up to the glacier. it’s a chance to get up close to the most rugged environment in New Zealand.”

Three more Luxury Gold accommodation choices that champion sustainability:

Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, Peru

Acknowledged by the United Nations as the World’s First ‘Climate Positive’ Hotel Brand, Inkaterra immerses guests in a planet-friendly lifestyle. From solar panels for power to local education initiatives, as well as fittings from local craftspeople, textiles from local Alpaca wool and recycled-fabric slippers, this lodge close to bucket-list site Machu Picchu has an entirely carbon-neutral ethos.

Visit on: Grand South America.

Pilgrimage Village, Hue, Vietnam

 

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This unique stay started as a craftsman’s village, where owner Le Van Truong could help connect expert local makers with visitors to Vietnam and boost the local economy. Now it has traditionally styled houses and pool villas for guests to stay over; and the team has made sustainability top priority, from sensors to shut off any unused lights or electronics to chemical-free cleaning protecting the biodiversity, water waste-reduction techniques in place and 95% of staff employed from the local area.

Stay there on: Inspiring Indochina.

Sails in the Desert, Ayers Rock, Australia

 

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This desert oasis in Uluru has an entire solar field that produces 45% of its energy, not to mention a waste minimisation programme to avoid sending waste to landfill, and an ongoing mission to raise awareness of wildlife conservation among its guests. A certified Advanced Ecotourism property, Sails in the Desert partners with the indigenous Anangu community on storytelling experiences and champions Aboriginal art in its onsite gallery, as well as training the next generation to increase the indigenous presence in the tourism industry.

Spend the night on: Inspiring Australia.

Even though he makes scores of them per week, chef Ben Kelliher isn’t sick of the Beef Wellington. In fact, this classic English dish ‒ a star of his menu at the English Grill in London ‒ is a personal favourite.

The English Grill is the in-house restaurant at The Rubens at the Palace, the 5-star central London hotel Luxury Gold guests stay at during our British Royale journey.

“I often tell our guests a bit about the history of pies and pastry in the UK, and why this is something quite special to cook and present,” he tells me. Getting the puff pastry casing just right and slicing through to rose-pink beef is still a thrill. “It’s a real treat when you go out to a restaurant and see this dish on a menu; you really don’t see it that much around London,” he says. Luxury Gold customers can taste this historic dish on a visit to the Grill during the London leg of our British Royale journey.

A dish is born

The first Beef Wellington was created in 1815, made in celebration of the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo in June that year. But this pastry-swaddled beef dish has endured in British culture, becoming fashionable at the height of 1970s dinner party culture and remaining a home-cooking showstopper today. British cooking royalty from Mary Berry to Gordon Ramsay have championed its sturdy charms in recipe books and restaurants. 

Beef Wellington is a classic English dish

“It’s actually one of the first dishes I made on my first job in London,” says Kelliher. “I’d make the pancakes ‒ that’s the layer between the mushroom duxelles (a paté-like mix) and the pastry.” When he began working at the Rubens at the Palace hotel, home to the English Grill, he decided to run masterclasses teaching guests how to make this British classic, as well as putting it in prime of place on the menu.

Refined reading: 10 of the Best Sustainable Fine-Dining Restaurants in the World

Reimagined for the 21st century

With the benefit of time, Kelliher has been able to play with the historic recipe for a modern palate. “We’ve been through a few versions of the dish: serving it with a red-wine sauce and a truffle madeira sauce, which are both more traditional versions,” says Kelliher. “With our current Wellington, there’s a bit of a modern twist: we serve it with a lobster sauce,” he explains. Inspired by the combination of beef and lobster in surf ‘n turf dishes, this adds a little indulgence and luxury. 

Meet chef Ben Kelliher:

Though the dish was designed for meat-loving 19th-century Englishmen, it’s surprisingly versatile, says Kelliher. Faced with hosting vegetarian guests, he suggests “you could do salmon in a similar style, which would usually be called en croute, with spinach and pancake wrapped around it. You can also do vegetarian or vegan versions: we’ve used beetroot instead of beef topped with goat’s cheese, or butternut squash topped with spinach.” 

One of his favourite twists on the iconic dish is a miniature version, served canapé-style. “We’ve done bite-sized, sausage-roll style ones with a small piece of beef and the mushroom duxelles spread on top rather than all the way around. Those are great for parties or events.”

As for what he’d recommend as a complimentary starter and dessert either side of your English Grill Beef Wellington? “We’re just coming into asparagus season in the UK, so I’d say our asparagus dish with morel mushrooms, confit egg yolk, grilled spring onions and a homemade milk-asparagus mayonnaise to start.” And to finish? “It has to be the Crepes Suzette, flambéed at your table.”

“We’re always trying to find a little twist to a dish and a way to make it theatrical for guests,” he adds. “It’s a great place to come for a celebration or special occasion in London.”

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The English Grill restaurant, London

Ben’s top tips for the perfect Beef Wellington:

“We always use fillet of beef; you can use a sirloin but it would be a bit tougher. Fillet is the finer cut ‒ it should cut through like butter and really melt in your mouth. We use a centre cut of Aberdeen Angus beef from a local supplier, which is dry-aged for 28 days. We have a great relationship with our butcher and are always testing and evaluating the meats we use for the best quality.”

“We use a mixture of wild mushrooms to make the mushroom duxelles (a fine mix with shallots and butter), cooking it for quite a long time ‒ around 45 minutes or an hour. It’s crucial to get rid of the water content, or you risk making the pastry soggy when you assemble it. We also deglaze the duxelles with a bit of madeira and port to add flavor and put a little grated truffle in there.”

“When it comes to assembling, have everything prepared in plenty of time: don’t panic. You can get things like your duxelles, your puff pastry and any pancake you’re using ready well before you need to put it together, so do it in stages.”

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Chef Ben Kelliher at The English Grill, London

“Consistency is key for getting the meat perfectly pink on the inside. We’ve mastered it by cooking it at 180 degrees, for 30-35 minutes and then resting it for 15-20 minutes. That brings it up to medium rare and it largely works every time. We also advise guests in the masterclass to have a probe to check the temperature at the centre.”

“Then, when you’ve cooked it, resting it is absolutely key. You’ve got to let the beef rest for up to 20 minutes, it helps the pastry firm up, it makes the meat juicy and you’ll be able to slice it really nicely.”

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Fogón Asado is no ordinary Buenos Aires restaurant. This petite parrilla (the name for this city’s expert steakhouses), with its exposed brick and leaping flames, is more like an immersive theatre experience melded with a supper club, all designed to introduce guests to the Argentinian art of asado. In an exclusive experience designed by the owners, Argentinian Alex Pels and his Danish wife Dani Jenster, the intimate space holds a maximum of 30 diners, who are given a ringside seat to this traditional, meat-focused feast.

Luxury Gold clients, visiting the Buenos Aires restaurant on the Argentinian leg of our Grand South America tour, are among the lucky few in attendance. Sitting at the polished countertop, you’ll watch the expert chefs smoke, sizzle and slice different cuts of meat, seasonal vegetables and the local provoleta cheese ‒ all on an elaborate, custom-made barbecue that executive chef José Gilberto Garcia calls “the Ferrari” of grills. We caught up with José to find out about this very particular style of South American cuisine.

A chef at Fogón Asado shows diners the way of the asado (Fogón Asado)

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Your Buenos Aires restaurant describes itself as “asado for a fine dining audience”. Can you tell us a bit more about this?

“Certainly. Asado describes the grilling technique – over a wood fire and its embers, but for Argentinians it’s also a kind of ritual, a traditional experience. It’s a very special moment to share with friends or with family. We usually gather at weekends for an asado, where we grill different cuts of meat for many hours. Everyone stands around the grill, enjoying wine and tasting the different cuts. At Fogón, we’ve tried to recreate that feeling for a fine dining audience. We like to incorporate innovative techniques and presentations to elevate the experience. Our tasting menu is designed based on the Argentine asado, but has a modern and unique approach.” 

What’s the origin of the cooking style, and how do you engage with that?

“The history of asado in Argentina dates back to the 19th century, evolving from the cooking practices of gauchos – Argentinian cowboys. As they roamed the vast pampas herding cattle, they developed simple, yet flavorful ways to cook meat over open fires. This method became ingrained in Argentine culture, blending indigenous techniques with Spanish influences. The gauchos had their tools, like the gaucho knife, the facón, which are very sharp. They used it for fighting, they used it for cooking and that’s really all they needed. We really wanted to include these tools in our dining experience. So a selection of these knives are presented to diners during the meal in a handmade wooden box, and each person can kind of choose their weapon. That’s our way of including a little bit of the culture and the history.”

Meat is grilled at Buenos Aires restaurant Fogón Asado (Fogón Asado)

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Can you tell me about the technical aspects of the fire cooking process?

“At Fogón we use two different types of wood that are typical here in Argentina; there’s one in particular called quebracho, which is one of the hardest woods in the world. The Spanish name for it actually comes from the phrase “to break the axe”. The white kind, quebracho blanco, is what we use to start the fire on our parrilla (grill) for the bigger cuts of meat to hang over; then we add the red kind (rojo), and once there are glowing embers from that wood, we cook smaller items like the rib eye or the bife el chorizo. It really adds a special flavour to the meat.”

How do you ensure the quality of ingredients?

“Quality is key at Fogón. We meticulously source our ingredients, prioritizing local, organic, and sustainably raised meats and produce. Our partnerships with local farmers and suppliers ensure that we receive the freshest and highest quality ingredients available. Each piece of meat is carefully selected for its marbling, age, and origin, ensuring that only the best makes it to our grill. This commitment to quality extends to every aspect of our dishes, from the vegetables and herbs to the specialty condiments. Unlike other restaurants, we only do one sitting per night, ensuring that each product is treated with respect and care.”

What are some of your favourite dishes on the menu?

“One of mine is the rib-eye cap, what we call the ceja (eyebrow), which we smoke with pine cones for an hour or so, something like that. Then we chargrill it over a strong fire for six or seven minutes more, until it’s rare to medium-rare. The flavour is very smoky and we serve it with a creamy cauliflower puree and corn cooked with a local technique called rescoldo, where we cook the vegetables over the fire. It’s smoky, salty, creamy, and even a little acidic because we add a little rice-vinegar to the cauliflower. It’s like a hug for your tongue.

“Another very typical street food here is choripan, which is usually local chorizo or morcilla sausage served in a baguette. This is something we eat at concerts, at the market or football games. But because we’re taking asado to a fine-dining experience, we reimagined the choripan for our menu. We put the two types of sausage on open-face, grilled breads, with a delicious apple and quince chutney on top, and flame-grilled pepper. In Spanish we call the combination “un matrimonio” (the marriage) because it goes so well together.”

Dishes at Fogón Asado, Buenos Aires (Fogón Asado)

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What else can guests expect from the experience?

“Guests are greeted with a cocktail, a Negroni but crafted from Argentine ingredients, like mate (a caffeinated herbal drink), Patagonian elderflower, vermouth and Viognier wine. From there it’s a three-hour fireside dining experience; you sit at the bar and all the preparations are done in front of you, right on the fire. I’ll explain each cut of meat, and show you them on a big wooden board before we begin. It’s a very interactive experience, inspired by the fact that Argentinians often gather around the asado when cooking at home.

We also have wine pairings of regional and national wines; our owners don’t believe in set glasses of wine, so we are very generous with refills! You’ll try every classic asado dish that you would usually try, but in a fine-dining presentation: they’re smaller, lighter plates and a bit more creative. It’s a real performance: our team loves to work in front of people and answer questions.” 

Experience the art of Argentinian asado on our Grand South America journey

Fogon Asado has two Buenos Aires restaurants ‒ one in Palermo Soho and one in Palermo Viejo. Tasting menus from $60 for lunch and $80 for dinner; wine pairings available (fogonasado.com)